Self-sealing gas tank for aircraft



Dec. 22, 1942. w. MURRAY SELF SEALING GAS TANK FOR AIRCRAFT Filed Oct. 30, 1940 rd] BY L f uwplbuvdurvlhhj da 7 Illn/ uw Mau' INVENTOR WIJZLanL u l n ..0 l l 2 2. 1 1 ,a 4 a 2 Patented 22, 1.7942

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3,306,275 SELF-scanne. GAS TANK Foa'mcnm william Murra'ygnstorm, Long Island, N. Y. I Application October 30', 1940, Serial No. 363,393

` 1 claim. i(01. 22o-'do This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a self sealing'gas tank for aircraft and other purposes` a More specifically the invention proposes the construction of a self sealing'gas tank characterized by an inner 'tank for holding gasoline or the like, and an outer tank encasing the sides and bottom of the inner tank in 'a manner to form an enclosed chamber about the, inner tank for the purpose of catching and holding any fumes or gasoline leaking fromsaid inner tank. Still further the vinvention proposes the provision of pipe connections at the remote ends of the outer tank for supplying air to the chamber between the adjacent walls of said tanks in a manner to cause all of the fumes caught within said outer tank to be blown therefrom to presystem within the chamber between said inner and outer tanks in a manner to guide the flow of air through all sections of the chamber in a manner to free the same ofthe entrapped gas fumes. 4

Still further it is proposed to construct said inner tank of Neoprene and provide it with horizontallyand vertically arranged baflles provided with openings therethrough for restricting a free flow of gasoline from one side to the other, while the plane is in the. process of turning or negotiating a bank.

A still 'further object of this invention proposes to construct a baille system of removably mounted spaced ribs arranged yin a manner to be removed from said outer talk in a manner to permit the same to be interchanged when they become worn or for permitting the same to be interchanged with different sized ribs to adjust the interior of the outer tank to accommodate inner tanks of different sizes.

A further object of this invention is to construct a self sealing gas tank which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of a self sealing gas tank constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view/ taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. l.

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on theline 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a verticalA sectional view of a self sealing gas tank constructed in accordance with a modification of this invention.

Fig.v 6' is a.- horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The self sealing gas tank for aircraft and other purposes according to this invention includes .an inner tank I0 of standard construction. Thisinner tank II) is made of Neoprene and consists of a body portion Il)a having a cover lllb with its side flanges I0 projected beyond the sides of the body IIl. The central area of the cover lob is provided with an vinlet opening Il closed by means offa'plugIZ permitting gasoline to be poured into the innercontainer I0. The bottom wallv of the body I0* is provided withlan-outlet I3 which connects with a nipple I l which in turn isV adapted to be connected with a feed line leading to the motors -of the airplane or other vobject to which the gas tank is applied. y

lThe interior of theinner tank l0 '1s provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertically arranged bale plates I5 having openings I5* throughwhich the gasoline is adapted to pass for reaching the outlet opening I3. The vertically spaced baffle plates I5 are held separatedby means of a horizontal baille plate I6 having a. plurality of' openings I1 for permitting the gasoline to pass from the top portion of the inner tank to the bottom thereof to discharge through the outlet opening I3. These baille plates I5 and I6 act to prevent the gasoline contained within the tank I0 from shifting too quickly when the airplane negotiates a turn for preventing the same from being tilted or from becoming top-heavy. I

The body portion Illa is preferably made with a wire mesh or screen Ill*m embedded in the sheet of the body portion to reinforce the same.

wardly extending screws 2| which pass through openings formed in the flange Illbb. Thumb nuts 22 are threadedly engageable upon the screws 2| and are adapted to be used for clamping the cover I0b in position across the open top of the outer tank I8 for the purpose of sealing the chamber Pipe connections are provided at the remote ends of the outer tank I8 for blowing air through the chamber I8 for clearing out any gas fumes which might collect within the chamber I8 in the event the inner tank I8 leaks. 'I'hese pipe connections are characterized by an air inlet pipe 23 mounted on one corner of the outer tank I8 and an air outlet tank 24 mounted on an opposite remote corner of the outer tank I8. Air is adapted to .pas/s through the inlet pipe 23 completely through the interior o f the chamber I9 and then through the air outlet pipe 24. The inlet pipe 23 and the outlet pipe 2 4 may bev located at any desired position and extend from the outer tank I8. A suitable outlet I8 is provided in the bottom of the outer tank I8 to permit the escape f 88.885 under eXCeSs'pIeSSllI'e.

A baille system is provided within the chamber I8 for guiding the flow of the air to all sections of the chamber when passing from the inlet pipe 23 to the outlet pipe 24. This baille system is should leak gasoline passing therethrough wiliubc contained within the chamber I8 where the air passing therethrough will cause the same to be evaporated and blow the fumes through the discharacterized by a' plurality 'of longitudinally spaced ribs 2,5 mounted within `the chamber I9 and which extend completely around the sides and vbottom of the inner tank III.k The ribs l are provided with openings 25'l ataltemately arranged ends, and the ribs act to divide the chamber I8 into a plurality of sub-chambers, and the openings 25 permit the air to pass from one subchamber to the next and are arranged in such a e' manner that the air will continuously pass through the sub-chambers fromthe air inlet pipe 23 until it reaches the air outlet pipe 24. These ribs 25 are constructed of wood or other similar material and are securely attached to the inside face of the outer tank I8l by means of pins 26. The inner face of the ribs 25 which contact the outside faces of the inner tank I8 are provided with rubber sealing elements 21 -ior preventing the air from passing through the adjacent faces of the ribs 25 and the side walls of the inner tank.

The end walls of the outer tank I8 are provided with means for assisting the screws 2| in holding the inner tank against longitudinal movement with relation to the outerftank I8. This means comprises circular spacer members 28 securely mounted upon the end walls of the outer tank I8 by means oi pins 28. 'I'he free ends of the spacer elements 28 bear'against the end walls of the inner tank I8 as shown in Fig. 3 for hold.- ing the tanks against longitudinal movement with relation to each other. The nipple I4 which extends from the outlet I3 of the inner tank I8 passes through a complementary opening 38 formed in the bottom wall of the outer tank I8. This opening 38 is provided with a packing gland 3| for preventing the air from leaking from between the adjacent faces of the nipple I4 and the material of the tank I8 around the opening 38.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows:

The tank I8 is positioned within the outer tank I8 and the nipple I4 is connected to the feed line for supplying gasoline to the motors of the object to which the tank has been applied, and the air inlet pipe 23 is connected with a compressor or other source of air supply, and the air outlet pipe 24 is arranged to discharge with the atmosphere. The cap I2 is removed and the interior of the inner tank I8 is filled with gasoline to the top. In the event the inner tank I8 charge opening 24 in a manner to prevent static electricity or other electrical charges from ignitiriig the leaklng'gasoline and so cause an explos on.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a means is provided for removably mounting the ribs 25' of the baille system contained within the chamber I8 for permitting the same to be removed to be interchanged with new ribs when the ribs become worn and no longer act to properly seal the sub-chambers of the chamber I8. In this form of the invention it is also possible to remove the ribs 25 and interchange the same with ribs of different sizes to accommodate the interior of the outer tank to inner tanks Il of diiferent sizes. In this form of the invention the ribs 25' are constructed -of flexible material and are provided with dove-tail binding elementsy of the outer tank I8. -These grooves 28" extend from the top edge of the tank I8 downwards along the sides thereof along the bottom thereof and upwards along the opposite sides thereof to a position adjacent the top edge. This formation of the groove 28" prevents the rib 28' from being engaged too far into the tank I3 and so form openings 25 on opposite ends of the ribs. In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that previously described and like reference numerals are used to identify like parts in each of the several views. Y

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it isto be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modincations coming withinthe scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.r

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

' In a device ofthe class described having an outer tank formed with an open top closed by a removable cover and enclosing the sides and bottom of an-inner tank for liquid and with the side and .bottom walls of said tanks being spaced, transversely extending longitudinally spaced tracks disposed in said space and mounted on the walls of one of said tanks and continuously extended along 4the sides and bottom of the tank on which they are mounted with their ends disposed adjacent the top of said tanks. and continuous flexible ribs slidably mounted on said tracks and having their free faces abutting the sides and bottom walls of the other of said tanks so that said ribs may be slid from the ends of said tracks through the open top of said outer tank when said cover is removed, said ribs being of equal lengths with alternate ribs having their free ends positioned adjacent said cover, the other of said ends of each of said ribs being spaced from said cover thereby forming by-passes to continuously connect the spaces between adjacent ribs, and venting means vbeing positioned at opposite ends and alternate corners of said tank for exhausting fumes which may be collected in said spaces.

WILLIAM MURRAY. 

